Tag Archives: Birds

Five Blossoms

Posted on March 20, 2014 by amanandhishoe

Five open blossoms is what it takes for the meteorologists in Japan to proclaim that the cherry blossoms have bloomed in a city. In each city, there is one tree which is declared the reference tree, and when five blossoms … Continue reading →

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First Brood?

Posted on March 4, 2014 by amanandhishoe

Most chickens are hatched in large commercial incubators. Here at a man and his hoe® we do things very differently. Even though it is still cool, spring is in the air. The robins are active, calling for mates. The thimble … Continue reading →

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Maple or Ina?

Posted on February 27, 2014 by amanandhishoe

It’s easy to tell chickens apart when they are as different as Ina and Maple. But how does one tell chickens apart when they look very similar? Chickens of the same breed have slight variations in their color, shape, size, … Continue reading →

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Snow Day

Posted on February 23, 2014 by amanandhishoe

We woke up to five inches of fluffy snow. Not the chickens favorite weather. Fortunately, the forecast is for much warmer weather tomorrow and the rest of the week, so the snow will be gone soon. When it’s cold and … Continue reading →

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Growing Up Is Hard

Posted on February 22, 2014 by amanandhishoe

Life is full of challenges. Things are always changing. Nothing stays the same. And it’s as true for chicks as it is for us. The Milky Way galaxy we live in is moving at some 1,350,000 miles an hour through … Continue reading →

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Surprises Every Day

Posted on February 19, 2014 by amanandhishoe

When you let your chickens run free, you never know what they will do or where they will go. A few days ago I heard a rattling in the shed we use to store hay and straw, and where our … Continue reading →

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Never Enough Nests?

Posted on February 18, 2014 by amanandhishoe

It’s not that there aren’t enough nests, it’s that hens want to use the same nest. Some days I’ll go to the coop to check out what all the cackling is about, only to see one hen on a nest, … Continue reading →

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A Chick Grows Up

Posted on February 16, 2014 by amanandhishoe

Words lack the capability to describe the love and care a mother hen showers on her chicks. You have to see it to understand how important mother hens are to chicks. Born at the end of November, the chick at … Continue reading →

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Edible Recycled Chicken Manure

Posted on February 12, 2014 by amanandhishoe

So what happens to chicken manure when it is reincarnated? It turns into edible wonders, like these over wintering onions I pulled this morning. Most chicken farmers get rid of their egg laying hens by the time they have gone … Continue reading →

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Staying Warm

Posted on February 9, 2014 by amanandhishoe

These chicks are seven weeks and still have a ways to go before they are independent. Many broiler chicks have already been butchered by the time they are this old, and most only have another week or two before they … Continue reading →

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Good Food

Posted on February 5, 2014 by amanandhishoe

Good food makes all the difference in the world. And when it comes to eggs, it’s impossible to produce good eggs by the millions. To produce an egg as round and bright as the sun, a hen needs good food, … Continue reading →

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Japanese Chicken Varieties

Posted on January 30, 2014 by amanandhishoe

The lack of varieties of chickens sold in supermarkets in the US is rather surprising. Some stores make distinctions between organic versus conventional, pastured versus broiler chickens, but rarely do you see a selection of a variety of chicken breeds … Continue reading →

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Six Week Old Chicks – A Long Way to Go

Posted on January 29, 2014 by amanandhishoe

When you watch these small six week old chicks running around with their mother, it’s hard to imagine that many broiler chickens are six pounds and ready to be butchered by six weeks. How is that possible? What happens to … Continue reading →

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Sven a Swedish Flower Chicken

Posted on January 27, 2014 by amanandhishoe

The Swedish Flower Chicken is a landrace chicken that developed in Sweden. Landrace is a breed which has developed over time by adapting to the natural and cultural environment in which it lives. Swedish Flower Chickens are colorful birds. No … Continue reading →

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Each Chicken Is Unique

Posted on January 25, 2014 by amanandhishoe

Each chicken is unique. Each chicken has its own face, its own personality. You can see their personality develop as chicks. Among siblings, there are outgoing chicks, quiet ones, curious ones, timid ones. As they grow, their personalities develop and … Continue reading →

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Learning How to Bathe

Posted on January 22, 2014 by amanandhishoe

Chickens are born knowing how to take dirt baths, but when they get to learn this behavior from their mother, they sure enjoy it.

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Nest at the Top of a Stump

Posted on January 21, 2014 by amanandhishoe

Chickens are always looking for great places to build a nest. Yesterday I heard a white Bresse cackling by the side of a ten foot tall stump. I climbed up to the top and found a nest with eight eggs. … Continue reading →

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Hazel’s Egg

Posted on January 20, 2014 by amanandhishoe

Every hen lays a special egg. To lay wonderful eggs, chickens need good food, plenty of exercise, and a quiet place to sit.

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Never a Dull Moment

Posted on January 19, 2014 by amanandhishoe

With chickens, there is never a dull moment. It’s a sunny, January morning. The hens in the nesting boxes are sounding an alarm. Minutes later, all is calm. Outside, the chickens are enjoying the winter sun. Chickens are constantly on … Continue reading →

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Dirt Bath in the Sun

Posted on January 18, 2014 by amanandhishoe

On a sunny day, chickens enjoy taking dust and dirt baths. They can really kick up a storm, turning upside down even to work dust and dirt deep into their feathers and onto their skin. They do this to clean … Continue reading →

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